Newsletter – 2021-09-08

Newsletter editorial – 8-9-2021

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Welcome to the first post-summer newsletter. We look at digital overload, burnout and back to the office, we thank all of those involved in the Afghanistan evacuation and we present two promotions-related articles, one on the unfair distribution of quotas and one on the promises made to our colleagues in the medical service. We also have articles on the changes which have already taken place related to the post-Brexit annual travel allowance and the financial rights related to breakups.  We propose electoral changes in order to improve transparency and propose further dates for CBT training, ready for new competitions.

That’s all for now, we hope you will enjoy the reading and, as usual, we invite you to let us know what you think or to get in touch if we can help you in any way or there’s something you’d like to see us address.

Digital overload, burnout and back to the office

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We invite you to participate in our survey on workload, digital overload and burnout. The Working time and hybrid working decision (issued July 2021) setting out the proposed ‘new normal’ with its ‘disconnection bandwidth’ is still under discussion (follow-up meeting with HR 8 September) and we’d like to have your most recent, post-summertime input, especially in light of the move to Phase 3 of the return to the office strategy announced for Monday 20 September for all Commission sites [1].

Continue reading Digital overload, burnout and back to the office →

Thanks for your support for colleagues in Afghanistan!

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Thanks very much to the colleagues who joined our petition and expressed their support and solidarity. We acknowledge also the huge effort made by the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the Commission to provide information and updates in this very extreme situation : they reacted quickly to sort through the avalanche of information they received and take appropriate action. Continue reading Thanks for your support for colleagues in Afghanistan! →

Electoral reform proposals: transparency in the ballot lists

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At Generation 2004 we make no secret of the fact that we would like to see electoral reform. A standardisation of the electoral rules would make the staff representation not just simpler and significantly more user friendly for all, but also much more transparent.

That transparency would, ideally, also be extended to groupings of trade unions and staff associations (OSPs). It is imperative that staff know for whom they are voting: the voting system is already opaque and any agreements in place between OSPs should be made clear in order to allow staff to make informed decisions when voting. [1] Continue reading Electoral reform proposals: transparency in the ballot lists →

Empty promises? Medical staff already forgotten?

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As Generation 2004 we would like to express our enormous gratitude to the medical staff as whole: you have worked extremely hard, under huge pressure, put in long working hours and showed great dedication throughout this pandemic. We make a special mention also of those in Brussels charged with the additional responsibility of vaccinating [1] Brussels-based and visiting staff Continue reading Empty promises? Medical staff already forgotten? →

Unfair distribution of promotion quotas

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If promotion quotas were distributed equally and without discrimination by DG HR, then each function group (FG) – administrator (AD), assistant (AST), and secretaries and clerks (AST/SC) – would have the same or a very similar ratio of promotion quotas to eligible staff (those with a minimum of 2 years in the grade) [1].

Since this information is not publicly available, we had to politely and firmly insist that DG HR release the relevant statistics by making an access to documents request. Continue reading Unfair distribution of promotion quotas →

Changes to financial rights after a breakup, does this affect you?

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The recently adopted Conclusion No 283/20 Determination and payment of financial entitlements under the staff regulations in the event of dissolution of a marriage or partnership, or termination of a de facto relationship [1] sets out the updated information. Check whether this affects you. Continue reading Changes to financial rights after a breakup, does this affect you? →